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In place of the old 100 question study guide, SRE now offers over 1000 pages of material for study. SRE’s Master pdf file:
file:///C:/Users/user1/Downloads/bibliografianaturalizacion.pdf

Notice that the new SRE rules descriptions includes a potential reference to who must take the new test, that has DELETED the old previous references to exempting people over 60:

Crude Translation:“In order to prove what is stated in section III of article 19 of the nationality law, those interested in obtaining Mexican nationality by naturalization will be given a questionnaire on culture and general history of Mexico …“

When I entered the Delegado’s office, I politely asked him if I could take 3 minutes to write out my notes.

He smiled warmly, and agreed. I explained that when a little nervous, I might forget what to say.

I had created a coded cheat sheet … in a short hand form … memorized of the key dates, names and events.

listing them out in sequence from 1518 – 1939 starting by writing the date, then using the initials of the names of key people, a word or 2 to describe the event (especially the past tense verb that applied to the event) ..

I mentally linked the events in a chain, so, just like learning the lines for a part in a play, you don’t memorize the individual lines, you memorize the first one in the chain, and then link all the subsequent ones together (by dates) after that.

I broke my list of dates into groups … making the grouped sequences of dates easier to remember.

My final list had only about 20 coded~short-hand lines …

Your list may be much much shorter, because our local Delegado in Merida gives the toughest test across Mexico.
*grin*

Thanks for the tips, Steve! Yike. Not like in the old days of school where I could refer to my cheat notes written on my leg with a mini skirt on! So, the test may not necessarily be the same as the questions and answers posted on this thread, sounds like! I am just too crazy with tests, not like I don´t know these pretty easy questions…ugh.

There are 2 tests. One is the written test, where they give you five randomly selected questions from the list of 100.

The second test is a proof of Spanish Language competency + some oral questions about the national flag, the national coat of arms (Escudo) , and potentially other things.

The Yucatan SRE office is making that second oral test very difficult, asking the applicant to describe Mexican history from Pre-Columbian times (Maya-Aztec-Toltec-Olmec-Mixtec times) all the way up into WW2. Then in Yucatan you have to recite the first, second, and tenth verses of the national anthem (Hymno) plus the chorus. “Mexicanos al grito de guerra … ”

That list is daunting… I have postponed application for years because of it. My Spanish is getting there but my memorization skills have diminished.
Once or twice I heard that us old timers (65+) get most or all of the test waived (in Baja)
is that a possibility?
Thanks, Peter

YES… no test for over-60’s … but they can expect some modest Spanish competency.

It all depends on the SRE office. The SRE office in Guadalajara had one particular Spanish competency examiner who spoke bad Spanish, and had a terrible speech impediment, making him difficult for even local Mexicans to understand.

Other offices just expect us to be able to have a little conversation. like you would meet someone on the street…

Age 60 & over do not have to take the 5 multiple-choice question written test.

Everyone is ALSO supposed to be able to prove some level of oral Spanish competency (the level depends on which SRE office you use) … know el escudo, la bandera, y be able to have a little conversation like you would meet someone on the street.

Thank you for your site. I was having a hard time finding the “answers” to the citizenship test. (Only the questions are on the sre.gob.mx site). Fortunately, I just turned 60 a week ago, so I can bypass the “5 questions out of 100”! I wasn’t aware anything else was needed besides the ability to speak, read and understand basic Spanish. Would you be more specific in what I would need to know? I’ll be applying in Tijuana. I heard the applicant has to go to DF (Mexico City) to get a police clearance. That’s a huge imposition for me. No way they can fax it? (I’ve had my legal permanent residency for 5 years and had FM3’s for 4 years before that.) Would I need to change my citizenship card (IFE ?) if we lived in a different state in México? All answers greatly appreciated. ¡ Muchas gracias!

Hi Susana,
The requirements for the oral test in Spanish vary from State to State.

Some SRE offices have very liberal policies, only requiring the applicant to be able to hold a little conversation like you would with a stranger you meet on the street.

Other SRE offices (like Guadalajara & Merida) make it really hard, expecting you to not only know the 100 questions & answers, but to be able to describe the History of Mexico from pre-Columbian times up through the expropriacion de petroleo…

You really would have to talk with some local expats (or informed notario) in Tijuana who have been through the process lately.

Re the proof of no charges/crimes at the Federal level: There are services in DF that (per your legal authorization) go and stand in the 2 block long line for you, to get an official copy of your police record. I paid my Notario to have ‘a guy’ do that for me.

There is no IFE, it is INE. Yes, to be able to vote, etc. you need to notify them of address changes.

Hi Susana – we are also near Tijuana, and curious if you have moved forward with the process and what you can tell us about your experience. Did you have to go to Mexico City? Did you have to demonstrate basic Spanish proficiency? Thanks for any insights you can provide!

Hi Susana – we are also over 60 and we live in Rosarito. I would appreciate any information you learned since your post. Did you have to pass a Spanish proficiency test? Did you have to take the “5 questions” test? What did you do to show you don’t have a police record? Did you have to go to Mexico City? Where did you go in Tijuana to do this?
Thanks for any info you can provide!

Spanish competency ‘testing’ is variable, depending on which SRE office you use.
e.g. The Guadalajara SRE office had an agent with a terrible lisp who gave the test, making him very difficult to understand, by even native Spanish speakers.

~ Merida, Yucatan’s SRE Delegado performs the Spanish competency test in person by requiring older (over 60) applicants to hold a conversation. Under 60 applicants have to be able to recite 3 verses of the Hymno + the Chorus + telling the histories~stories of Pre Columbian Mexico + the Conquista (key names & dates) + the Virrey period + the war for Independence (key names & dates) + Benito Juarez & Porfirio Diaz periods + The Revolution (key names & dates) … He based his requirements for knowing those historical items on the 100 questions ,,, + he expected the Escudo + Bandera & knowledge of the significance of each of the elements on them. … making the Yucatan SRE office’s requirements the toughest in Mexico.

These language, culture, & historical~civics knowledge requirements depend on each local SRE offices pecadillos. That means you should talk with people who recently went through the process.

I just did it last week. I got there at 9 and there were already many people in line. After waiting in line 15 minutes, the person handing out forms recognized me as a foreigner and told me to go to another office. There were only about 10 people there and I was out with the certificate in an hour. I would walk past the line with your passport in hand. Someone will stop you. Ask which door is for foreigners in English and change to Spanish if they don’t understand. You can probably just walk in a doorway to the left just before where everyone in line is going if they understand what you want, because you don’t ever end up where the other people are going. If you look or sound like you belong in the other line, you may end up there.

Hi Gabe,
Sorry I have not reported back about my experiences. I haven’t had a chance to do it yet. This is why;
I am trying to get all my papers in order to marry my Mexican finance (of 10 years) but, as usual, Mexican red tape stands in the way. I have spent a long time trying to get a birth certificate (San Francisco) and a divorce decree (Fairfield) both apostilled in Sacramento, then translated into Spanish here in Tijuana. I thought everything was full steam ahead BUT Registro Civil told me I had to change my last name (from ex-husband) back to my maiden name. Fast forward many more months. I had to change all my American ID into my maiden name and I thought I was done. OH NO! I have a Permanent Resident Card for Mexico and it has to be changed also. After 5 (FIVE) trips to the INM office, with countless hours waiting, I finally “got it right”. I am now awaiting notification (online-me checking daily) to come in for fingerprints and pictures, then, God knows, how long to process the card!. We are waiting to fly to Puerto Vallarta (where we met) to finally tie the knot, once I get my card.
The citizenship thing is next. I’ll write back once I go through the process.
Nothing is easy here in Mexico. Buena Suerte.